Here and There Blog

Tuzigoot is a pueblo near Cottonwood. 110 rooms made up the community that started over 1000 years ago. Today, only rocks remain but the outlines of the rooms are still in place. Climb to the top and on a clear day you have a view of the valley.

The copper mine today

From the 1880's to about 1950, Jerome was a mining town. Thriving on the copper mines, everything sprung up here from banks to bars to bordellos. When the mine went bust so did the town until it found new life as an art colony/new age home. At any rate, it's worth a stroll about.    

Some rain, a lot of smoke from the fires, and whimsical sculptures made for an interesting combination in Sedona. It was hard to breath because of the smoke but everything was open for the tourists only, the tourists stayed away. This made it the first holiday weekend in Sedona where parking was easy. Bad for the economy but great to drive and walk around.  

Found this photo of me yesterday. It's old and blurry and can't really be made out but it is the only picture of me from when I used to ride horses. Most striking, I had great posture on horse back! This is Hollie and she was our neighbor's horse. I had forgotten this day until I saw the picture. I used to ride all the time but those were the days where it was such a normal part of life that we never thought to take pictures of it.

Whoops! Once work got going it was non-stop and there was only time for work, a little sleep, and a little food. Now I'm back but about to hit the road again. First up, the last three days were filled with doctor appointments one after another. I'm getting the Mohs Surgery on June 2 to remove the carcinoma in the area. Because of the location on June 3, I get skin grafts and reconstructive surgery. Two doctors, two locations = 6 pre-op appointments in a 2 day period. Add in the drug order, picking up the drugs, and squeezing in a dentist appointment and this week is shot. By the way - the battery died on the truck today and I had to call AAA for a jump to get home. Hint, Homer. I'll need help with this once my eye patch and stitches are out. Off to Arizona this weekend for a memorial service for a dear family friend. I guess we can't escape the fires since one is going strong in Oak Canyon. We're only going as far as Cottonwood but my guess is traffic will be a...

There's actually a lot to look at as you walk around the island. If you're in a car or bus you tend to miss the small things. The lighthouse is at the entrance to the harbor so you can't miss that.  The fort is up on a hill and unless you go there you won't even know it exists. I walked up but didn't go in. Random sculptures are everywhere but many are in the street traffic circles and hard to get to. These were in front of a bank.

At day and at night, the beach area is packed with people. At 7:00 am, it's empty and easy to take pictures without competing for camera space. Thirsty? Pull up anywhere and grab a beer or 3. Hungry? Stop at the Fish Fry and have your choice of dozens of stands of seafood.  Or perhaps a Pina Colada to-go. It's all waiting for you!

The local beer is Kalik. It's a mellow beer just right for a hot place. Even though it's hot, many buildings run the a/c so cold you have to bring a jacket.  I've been here three days and each day there are two ships in port. As soon as the ships pull out, all the shops and restaurants close up. The harbor by the hotel has constant wind that makes it good for sailing. It's relaxing to watch the boats go by.

Hilton Hotel - Nassau. I have a harbor view room. I like it! Way better than the parking lot view and I can watch the palm trees sway in the wind as I type on the laptop. This is a work trip but I will get out and take some of the beautiful ocean photos later on.

Tomorrow morning brings the 6 am flight to the Bahamas. It sounds fun and it would be with the exception of this being a work trip. Still, there will be the after work opportunity to walk on the beach. (Mornings are out due to the time difference. I'll be sleeping till the last possible minute!) Since I've been here before I won't have to try and cram in sightseeing. I can relax a bit after work instead of trying to find a way to explore. Maybe one deserted beach if I'm lucky. But, there will be photos! For sure the one of my room view overlooking what will probably be a parking lot or street but some palm trees and water shots to make it look good!

Oh to be a fan in San Diego. We are used to our fate. It is a good thing that we have a great ballpark, sunny weather, and a city with fantastic beer that is served in the park. Because when the Padres lose 2-0 to the worst team in the league, what are you going to do? Make the most of it and have fun! Family outing with Homer, me, and Mr. & Mrs. OB.

And when a mole is not just a mole but Basal Cell Carcinoma. A slow growing non-melanoma cancer. I get why I have skin cancer, I was a tan goddess in my youth. I don't get why it's on the inside part of my eye by my nose. Sun almost never touches that part of the face. So due to the sensitive location I will have it removed using Mohs Surgery where the doctor removes the skin layer by layer, looks at it under a microscope until all traces of the cancer are gone. I can deal with that. The hard part? Staying in one place for 4-6 weeks post surgery! I have not stayed in one place for more than two weeks in years. So I'm trying to rush this in the first week of June so I'll be clear of the post op period in time for my July cruise (British Isles this year). The doctor likes the idea of waiting until after the cruise. Ugh. That means no Australia  (fun) and no Honduras (work). Hmmm. There is a Toronto trip I've been thinking about avoiding though and that's in A...